MSAC Multi-Cultural Student Action Committee est.1999: Row 1: J. Reichel, D. Oliva, L. Jaros, J. Won, D. Garcia, A. Cai, F. Stieglitz, L. Chen. Row 2: A. Faulk, K. Faulk, S. Weeks, J. Shrable, J. McManus, A. Sanchez. Row 3: E. Valerie, C. Rhoades, J. Paul, L. McCaughan, M. Maynard, B. Gardner (sponsor). Walton Scholars Est. 1985: Row 1: A. Cojom, M. Lopez, D. Lopez, D. Misas, C. Rodezno, P. Morales, S. Lopez, D. Rojas. Row 2: F. Guiterrez, G. Torres, E. Espino, R. Guillen, W. Wolmers, D. Lopez, F. Quiros, D. Herrarte. Row 3: M. Midence, E. Quevedo, D. Castillo, A. Billafuerte, H. Mejia, B. Jacobo. Row 4: M. Gomez, M. Tercero, H. Gonzalez, S. Ruiz, J. Constantino, M. Medrano, H. Alfaro. Row 5: A. Sanchez, P. Baca, F. Flores, M. Martinez, L. Padilla, E. DelaCruz, A. Matamoros, E. Vasquez, C. Ledesma, K. Lujan, B. Gonzalez, C Andrade, E. Diaz, D. Oliva, N. Boyd (sponsor). Row 6: M. Bolin (sponsor), C. Romero, C. Ceren, I. Racine, J. Chamorro, K. Vargas, S. Ayestas, D. Sandefur. Row 7: J. Rojas, J. Portillo, E. Hernedez, J. Paredez, L. Chinchilla, N. Lopez, F. Vargus. Chinese Student Association Est. 2004: Row 1: L. Wang, W. Jiang, X. Dong, X. Mao, H. Chen, M. Yuan, Y. Lian, J. Qian, J. Liu, Q. Ye, Y. Luo, Y. Min, X. Chen, H. Feng, A. Zuo, Z. Zuo. Row 2: H. Chen, H. Sun, K. Liu, J. Cui, J. Li, Y. Pan, M. Pan, Z. Wang, Y. Wang, X. Chen, Z. Qi, C. Chen, W. Chen, H. Liang, D. Chu. Row 3: T. Liu, S. Lei, D. Peng, Y. Lei, J. Zeng, Y. Cai, J. Chen, W. Li, Y. Zeng, W. Li, S Cheng, J. Pei Kutzli, R. Qiu, J. Chen, X Ling. Row4: J. Cheng, D. Rong, X. Peng, Y. Xie, H. Xing, T. Zeng, C. Zhao, Y. Wang, S. Sun. Row 5: Z. Chen, Z. He, K. Li, Y. Gao, X. Liu, Y. Hou, Y. Ye, W. Zheng, G. Luo, J. Cheng, J. Ma. Row 6: J. Zhao, H. Dou, H. Luo, B. Deng, S. Yang, J. Jiang , S luo, Y. Deng, Y. Zhao, S. Xu. Row 7: J. Du, W. Li, Q. Chen, L. Chen, T. Deng, Q. Chen, L. Zhu, Y. You, J. Yu, D. Yang, X. Yang, S. Liu. Row 8: M. Huang, Z Li, Z. Zeng, Z. Tan, G. Tian, Y. Chen, Z. Guo, C Zhou, Z. Lin, Y. Wu, Q. Yan, T. Liu, Y. Zhang, Z. Yi, Z. Zhang, Z. Huang, B. Liu. BUILDING BRIDGES BETWEEN THE CULTURAL GAP Multicultural Student Action Committee bonds students from near and far S tarted in 2000 by Career Center Director Butch Gardner, the Multicultural Student Action Committee helped international students get involved with campus life and form relationships with American students. "Our international student population was growing, and I saw a need for a club that would help those students get involved," Gardner said. "The international students find each other and connect fairly easily. It's our goal to help them connect with everyone else on campus." MSAC was primarily a student-led organization and was loosely structured. For students who were looking for a social experience other than social clubs, MSAC offered a great alternative to getting involved on campus. The club participated in many activities throughout the school year, which were designed to bring the students together in a casual and fun environment. "We have activities that allow people to hang out and get to know one another, 240 I Organization s and it really helps to bridge gaps," MSAC president senior Shenoa Weeks said. "It's important to have fun and not just sit in a classroom, and we try to do some cultural activities that introduce people to different things that they may not have come into contact with before." These activities included a corn maze function in Augusta, Ark., club service projects, international movie nights and game nights. MSAC also visited the University of Central Arkansas to participate in ethnic performances and events including fiestas, a Russian ballet and Japanese drummers. Even with all of the fun activities, MSAC was more than just a way for international students to get involved. It was a medium through which students from all walks of life could come together to learn more about Jesus and form Christ-centered relationships. "MSAC is for everyone, not just for international or minority students," MSAC secretary and historian senior Jin Won said. "It's so important to be involved in people's lives and not just people in your hall or from your social club, but with people from different cultures or even different religions. For me, the ultimate goal of MSAC is for us to be united in Christ." Won, member of MSAC for two years, hoped that other students would discover a passion for other cultures and decide to join MSAC as well. "I joined because I'm an international student," Won said. "As I saw what MSAC does and saw how it helps me and helps others form relationships, it really created a passion inside of me to be more involved and to help other people form relationships with people in other cultures as well." MSAC offered an alternative to social clubs, providing students from different backgrounds an opportunity to learn about each other by going to cultural events. The multinational group of 20 members embraced both the differences in their nationalities and their similarities as children of God. Payton Hurst
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